Red-cockaded Woodpeckers at Piney Grove

Red cockaded woodpecker on a tree

TOUR NAME: Red-cockaded Woodpeckers at Piney Grove 

DATE: Sunday, March 22

DURATION (ROUND TRIP): 6 hours 7:00 am – 1:00 pm  (please arrive at 6:45 am) Departure from REI 350 Independence Blvd, Virginia Beach at exactly 7 am                    *BRING your ticket to board and your printed, signed waiver form. 

PRICE: $20 (also bring $ for lunch and to tip your guide; read info below please) *Please note, this $20/person depends on 16 participants = $320 for the group. You can pay $20 now to register, but the day of the tour the final cost of the tour is $320 divided by the number of participants. Spread the word to all of your friends and family and on social media! 

DESCRIPTION: Visit Piney Grove Preserve, home to Virginia’s rarest bird, the red-cockaded woodpecker. Once numbering in the hundreds of thousands, these birds have been drastically reduced due to loss of their exclusive old-growth pine tree habitat. Due to pine forest restoration efforts at Piney Grove, in 2019 18 breeding groups of red-cockaded woodpeckers were documented. Bring your binoculars in hopes of viewing the elusive red-cockaded woodpecker. We will visit the PUBLIC ACCESS to Piney Grove via the Constance Darden Nature Trail. It is an easy 0.3-mile walk. The trail is ADA accessible; the observation deck at the end of the trail is not. Participants will have about 2.5 hours at Piney Grove and a walk along the road where there is the best chance of spotting the red-cockaded woodpecker (as long as we can find a legal, safe place to park the bus and leave it). The group needs to stay together as a group. Then we will head to the Virginia Diner for some eats (bring $ money for your own food/drink). Around 11:45 am we will head back to your parked cars at REI, returning before 1:00, traffic dependent. 

 

WHAT’S INCLUDED:
– Air conditioned/heated new vehicle
– Transportation
– Expert pre-planning services are usually included, depending upon the tour. But to offer this tour at a much reduced rate, the planning and leadership will be a collaboration between Suzanne and 2 members of the Cape Henry Audubon group. Darol is taking care of the planning portion and details of the day. Darol will secure any permits required and make a reservation at the Virginia Diner. One member of the Audubon Society will need to act as the onboard guide; Tony will be your guide for the day, sitting in the front “guide seat” with microphone. He has a number of important responsibilities on the day of the tour, to be discussed with Suzanne via telephone before the trip. To make Tony’s job easier, each participant needs to carefully read all of the details below. It is packed full of important information. KNOW BEFORE YOU GO!

THINGS TO BRING:
– Cash/card for your food, drinks (No food, drinks or gum permitted on board the bus. We will make a stop for food/drink at the Virginia Diner). We recommend that you bring pocket snacks to eat while walking on the trail (granola bars, trail mix, etc) especially since you board the bus at 7 am and we won’t get to the Virginia Diner until around 10:45 am
– IMPORTANT NOTE – there is no bathroom on board the bus. Darol will pre-determine the stops we ought to make during travel to and from the preserve. The route we will be taking is I-64 to avoid tolls.
– Your printed/digital ticket (or your cell phone ticket)
– Printed/signed waiver (all participants must bring their printed and signed waiver to board the bus; we save valuable time and are able to depart on time if everyone takes time to do this at home)
– Photo ID
– Refillable water bottle; we discourage single use plastic bottles
– Dress for the weather since we go rain or shine, or cold. Ticket sales are final and not refundable.
– Closed-toed/tennis shoes/warm boots
– Cash tip for The Nature Bus staff. Our regular tour cost is $10/hour/person. A 6-hour tour would normally be $60/person (please understand we have huge expenses such as bus payments, huge insurance costs, and so much more). This tour is greatly reduced at $20/person for 6 hours because Suzanne has an affinity for Audubon members! So she is gifting this tour to you at such a reduced rate, and hopes to offer a great discount to your group often. It is customary in the tour industry to always tip the staff. Please tip generously if you enjoy this tour.

*We go rain or shine, see our weather policy FAQs 

*YOUR FEE INCLUDES TRANSPORTATION, TOUR OPERATOR. FOOD/DRINK NOT INCLUDED.
*ALL OUR TOURS INVOLVE WALKING; GUESTS SHOULD EXPECT VARYING DEGREES OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY. THE GROUP IS ASKED TO STAY TOGETHER AS A GROUP. *WE GO RAIN OR SHINE, SO DRESS FOR THE WEATHER. TICKETS ARE NOT REFUNDABLE. ALL SALES ARE FINAL. *WE DEPART EXACTLY ON TIME PLEASE ARRIVE 15 MIN BEFORE SCHEDULED DEPARTURE

 

We're sorry, but all tickets sales have ended because the event is expired.

Venue:  

Address:
350 Independence Boulevard, Virginia Beach, Virginia, 23462, United States

  •  March 22, 2020
     7:00 am - 1:00 pm